Dingyuanchen
SIGINT sites for the collection of radio and SATCOM are spread throughout China with the net control station situated in Beijing. Sites are located near the Sino-Russian and Sino-Mongolian border at Jilemutu, Erlian, and Hami. Several other sites are in Northwest China.
In late December 1999 and early January 2000 US reconnaissance satellites
photographed the addition of several new parabolic dish antennas to the large antenna field at the Dingyuanchen SIGINT facility near the Russian border.
Operated by the PLA 8th Bureau of the General Staff 3rd Department, the facility is used to intercept electronic communications from the former Soviet Union. China has an abiding interest in this area, since former Soviet Central Asian states are suspected of clandestine support for Muslim Uighur separatists in Xingjiang province.
The NIMA GeoNet Nameserver is unaware of "Dingyuanchen" and a search of obvious wildcard variants suggest a few candidates, none of which have particularly promising locations.
Sources and Resources
http://www.fas.org/irp/world/china/facilities/dingyuanchen.htm
Created by John Pike
Maintained by Webmaster
Updated Monday, May 08, 2000 5:28:59 AM
